


Fresh Ink

by cumbercollins



Category: Supernatural
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-21
Updated: 2013-07-21
Packaged: 2017-12-20 22:23:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/892592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cumbercollins/pseuds/cumbercollins
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Castiel has fallen, which means he is going to need an anti-possession tattoo.</p>
<p>From a post on tumblr (http://cumbercollins.tumblr.com/post/47912768684)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fresh Ink

The roaring of the Impala was interrupted by Cas’s quiet voice from the passenger seat. “I don’t want to do this, Dean…”

Dean glanced over at the recently fallen angel. He seemed smaller now that his grace had been removed; the space was filled with regret and guilt. Dean could see into that void and had treated his friend differently since he fell. He was fragile. A baby in a trench coat.

"Come on, Cas, you'll be fine," Dean attempted to console him. "Don't be a wimp."

Cas's hurt glance shifted from his friend to his lap. He twisted his hands together, attempting to distract his mind. Cas had felt pain before, of course, but never from something as small as tattoo needles. A cut from an angel blade is one thing, but a small needle? That's not supposed to hurt. Dean had stabbed Castiel in the chest with the demon blade when they first met, and that felt like nothing. The idea of the pain to come didn't worry the angel; it was the question of if tiny needles can injure him, what else can? Where will it end?

The Impala was parke safely between two yellow lines and Cas took a deep breath before swinging his feet out of the car. As he came past the Kansas license plate, Castiel was met once again by his friend.

"Don't worry," Dean said, "it really isn't that bad." The hunter's warm hand resting on the fallen angel's shoulder reminded him of all the trials the two have been through. He had pulled this human out of Hell and now the one that had done the saving now was the dependent one. Using all of eternity to study humans could never prepare Castiel for a mortal life as one. If he could pull Dean from Hell, he could get a tattoo, right? Especially one to keep him and Jimmy (or what was left of Jimmy) safe.

Dean left his hand on his friend's shoulder as they entered the tattoo parlor, mostly to try to calm him down but also slightly to make sure he couldn't turn back. After all, he was still not used to being a fallen angel and needed monitoring.

When they entered the shop, the two were greeted by a large man in a leather jacket pulled tight around muscular arms. "Winchester!" he exclaimed, "it's been too long, boy!" Before Dean had time to react, the man pulled him in, engulfing Dean in a wave of his tattooed arms, lifting his feet from the ground.  
"Yo, Rufus, you're crushing my lungs," Dean squeezed out.

A chuckle rumbled from Rufus's gut as he set Dean back on the floor. His thick hand gave Dean's shoulders a pat. "What can I be doing for you?" Rufus asked. Finally Rufus noticed the other man standing just behind his old aquaintence. "Are you going to introduce me to your friend here or not? Come on, boy."  
Dean swiveled to face Cas, who was wearing his nerves on his face. "This is Cas," Dean began, "and he needs one of these." He pulled down the collar of his black t-shirt to expose the antipossession tattoo permanently on his chest.   
Rufus grinned. "Of course. Come, come." He waved for the two to follow. "I will take care of it over here."

The tattoo artist lead Dean and Castiel to a chair in a seperate room, allowing for safe conversation of Dean's profession. "Same place as you and your brother, right Dean?" Dean nodded. "Okay, good, then you... umm..."  
"Cas, Rufus. His name is Cas."

"Yes, I knew that. Now Cas, hang up your coat and shirt on that hook on the back of the door. I will be right back; I need to grab the special ink." Rufus then disappeared into the bustling shop.

Now that they were alone, the angel turned to Dean. "Special ink?" he asked.  
"Yup, special ink. It has some special ingredients to help protect you better," said Dean. Cas hung his head, still trying to think of ways to get out of the situation. "Now come on," commanded Dean, "hang up your clothes so Rufus has some skin to work with."

Cas started to resist, but decided against it. He had made it this far, so why not just get it over with? He pulled off his trench coat and placed it on the hook, followed by his tie. Just as he started undoing the buttons of his shirt, Rufus came back to the room, setting the ink bottles on the counter. Cas backed into the chair, leaning into the black leather. "Ready?" asked Rufus. Cas looked to Dean, who had pulled up a stool beside him, and nodded. Rufus pressed the design to the angel's chest, prepared the tattoo gun, and began.

When Rufus started the outlining the center star and it felt like the ink was sending fire through Castiel’s veins, a scream flew from his mouth. Quickly, he clamped his eyes shut and bit his lip to shush himself. While trying to focus on the pain from his lip rather than his chest, Cas noticed a pressure on his hand. His eyes opened and he looked down to his hand but instead he saw Dean’s fingers wrapped around his and Dean’s other hand is in Cas’s hair, running back and forth across his head. 

Cas closes his eyes again. The outline was done and Rufus had moved on to a different needle tip-this one wide for filling in. The angel tried to think of something else when he heard soothing words fall over him. “It’s looking good, Cas. Just need to fill it in. I know it hurts like a bitch, but you’re almost done, okay?” Dean’s right hand wrapped a little tighter around Cas’s while his left hand continued stroking his hair. For the remainder of the time Cas channels all of his focus into Dean’s calming touch and his gentle words in attempt to block out the burning needle continuously penetrating his skin. 

“Okay, done,” says Rufus, setting the gun on the table, then hands a mirror to Cas. “Take a look and tell me what you think.”

Cas takes the mirror and points it at the tattoo. In the reflection he can see Dean’s hand still in his hair. A smile escapes. “It’s great.”

“So how long have you guys been together?” Rufus asked.

Dean pulled his hands his side and his face flushed. “We... we’re not-”

“Five years,” Cas interrupts.

“No! He meant we-” 

Rufus smirked. “Whatever, Dean. I get it.”

Dean and Cas thanked Rufus for his time and Dean handed over an envelope with his payment enclosed. Rufus gave Dean a wink before they went out the door.

When they were back in the Impala, Dean turned on the ignition and turned to Cas. “Why did you tell him we have been together for five years, Cas?”

“Has it been longer?... No, that’s right. I pulled you out of hell five years ago. That’s when we met, so that’s what I told him.”

A sigh. “He meant together like dating. You told him that we have been dating for five years. That’s why Rufus winked.” Dean pulled out onto the road and flipped on the radio. 

“It seems I have made a mistake.”


End file.
